Spiral Joy Band

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they say:
spiral joy band with john w. fail

mikel gangloff: esraj, fiddle john w. fail: israj mikel dimmick: flute, bowls, sruti & electronics

"dimmick and gangloff are joined by glasgow-based american expatriate john w. fail for three lengthy excursions into dynamic drone structures, with thick layers of violin, esraj and sruti box interspersed with occasional punctuations on prayer bowl and electronics.

"the opener, 'elegy for wooden ladders', is the most dissonant piece of the three, with apparently random flashes of esraj and violin [Ed. note: Nope, that's esraj and israj] which gradually evolve and interlock, bringing the track to an agitated outcome. 'down from the skies' clocks in at almost 40 minutes, and is a perfect combination of the twin guidelines of spiral joy band's music: a long hillbilly fiddle intro by gangloff is gradually overridden by dissonant drones from dimmick and fail on electronics, prayer bowl and esraj, until the americana elements that originated the track are all but submerged in a wave of asian-sounding drone and clattering esraj [and israj], with a majestic sruti box drone-chord rounding off the track. the final track, 'impercetible, unwavering' is the most static of the three, a thick sruti box drone supporting the strings, who constantly go in and out of phase with each other; about a minute from the end, the drone bedrock is suddenly removed, leaving only the throbbing strings, which eventually fall into silence."

Yep, all wrapped in wonderfully screened artwork by Emily Keown (that is not in the least done justice by the image above). A singular entry in the ranks of esraj/israj duets and a new ridgeline in the Spiral Joy gazetteer. Released in a run of 300 by the Soopa label of Oporto, Portugal.